This invention concerns a reel/spool which is used to mechanically wind a mainline on and off between the inner side/sides of the reel/spool. There are provided curves/tracks for long-line hooks. The curves/tracks define slots therebetween which are arched in accordance with an Archimedean spiral such that a vastly increased hook capacity is achieved in view of the greater total linear extent defined by the arcuate slots.
The invention concerns a reel/spool which is used to wind a fishing line on and off while curves/tracks forming arcuate slots serve to receive hooks for use in long-line fishing. The curves/tracks are formed on the inner side of the reel/spool with certain intervals in between in order for the hooks to be steered/guided into their right place. The curves/tracks can both be on one of the inner sides or both inner sides of the reel/spool. Hooks enter curves/tracks mechanically on a steering bar when the line is hauled so that each hook enters a curve/track and by the rotation of the spool/reel, the hook moves towards the core of the spool/reel. By opposite rotation of the spool/reel a hook leaves or is removed from the curves when a line is set. The curves/tracks are arched in accordance with Archimedean law. The hook can be steered into the curves/tracks in two ways. By using the hook-bend as steering and by use of protuberance/knob steering. By using this curve/track system, the tendency of a hook to become tangled in the mainline is avoided, whether using rope line or monofilament line.
By separating the hooks from the mainline and putting them into slots as defined by the curves/tracks, tangles are avoided. There is a method known since 1988 (according to East German patent no. 0524321), to wind a mainline on a spool/reel and separate the hooks from the mainline by storing them on gripping arms on the reel. In that way a very limited amount of hooks can be stored on the reel. It is therefore necessary to use many such reels on board fishing boats or, the reels have to be very big, (but then they are difficult to manage), in order to lay a line with the most suitable amount of hooks. By using arched curves/tracks based on the Archimedean law, it is possible to store a much greater number of hooks on the reel/spool than on the above mentioned gripping arms. The Archimedean system gives very long tracks/curves for hooks on the inner side of the spool and it is possible to have curves/tracks on both of the inner sides or flanges of the reel/spool. With a straight line defining the shortest distance between two points, it follows that by arching the tracks and slots, the linear extent between the access to each slot and the terminus of each slot at the core of the reel, will be significantly greater and therefore, many more hooks may be stored within each slot of the instant apparatus. Now, since monofilament line is becoming more and more widespread, it is even more important to find a way to store as many hooks as possible in a space as compact as possible. It is precisely this that the present invention is focused on, that is, to store as many hooks as possible in a space as compact as possible and it is also possible to use the invention for conventional mainline.
The invention is now explained with reference to the attached drawings.